CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF FRAGMENTS OF THE MULTIANTENNARY GROUP-SPECIFIC POLYSACCHARIDE OF GROUP B STREPTOCOCCUS

摘要

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a Gram-positive bacterium that can act either as a commensal organism or as a pathogen in humans [1]. It remains the most common cause of neonatal infections of the blood (septicemia) and of the brain (meningitis) [2]. A major component of the GBS cell wall is a complex multiantennary carbohydrate, termed the Group B-specific antigen (GBC) by Rebecca Lancefield. Although the structure has been known for a long time, the role of this unique carbohydrate remains poorly understood [3]. To facilitate studies that may unravel the function of the GBC we set out to assemble the structure by chemical synthesis.